INDIANAPOLIS —A gay teenager claims he brought a stun gun to school and fired it into the air to defend himself from bullies. The teen has been expelled.

Darnell “Dynasty” Young, 17, said he faced daily harassment at Arsenal Technical High School and reported the bullying to school officials more than 10 times, MSNBC.com reports. Young’s mother said she gave her son the stun gun for protection because the school wasn’t doing enough.

Young fired the stun gun on April 16 when a group of students encircled him and threatened to beat him up. The group dispersed, but Young was arrested and later suspended.

Young may return to school in the district on Jan. 7, 2013, MSNBC.com reports.